It’s been a long day. The world, rough as ever, put you through your paces, but you made it to the end. Tomorrow, you’ll have to wake up and do it all over again. The monotony, the dull, relentless pain, the same work, the same people. It’s not that life is bad, or even that the people in your life are bad, but no one would disagree with the point that life is hard sometimes.
It damn sure is. And we all need an escape. A way to kick back and relax at the end of the day and let off some steam. While some people would rather go to sleep, rinse, repeat, and do it all over again. There are those of us who sacrifice some of our time for finer habits. Gaming. Movies. Food. Adult beverages. Cigars. Whatever it is that helps you unwind, here’s to that special vice.
As for me, when I’m outside, enjoying my cigar of the evening, I’m not worried about anything else. It’s the best possible time for me to slow down and smell the roses figuratively. I love picking apart the notes and the flavors, trying to find what I’m tasting, but also find new experiences in the pairings I have chosen. Whether I’m alone, or with friends or family, it’s time to steal away from the rotten underpinnings of daily life. No one could bother me in those moments, no matter how rude, ornery, or outspoken they are. Because it’s just me and the cigar.
Many would have something to say about the stigmas of it all. Tobacco is bad for you. It causes cancer. It does this. Smells like that. I don’t ever force anyone to visit my space. If they’re there, they want to be there. It’s open air and I’m not stewing in smoke, tar, or ash. These days, cigarette smokers are allowed to smoke wherever, but cigar smokers are banned, which is asinine. Cigars smell better and cigarettes are worse for you.
That’s no matter, I stay in my solitary place and that’s where I relax.
Carcinogens are everywhere and in everything
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
I would also argue that everything gives you cancer in this day and age. Hot dogs. Baked, roasted, and fried foods with a bit of a golden hue or deep brown. Ultraviolet rays and the sun. Cell phones possibly. Alcohol. Processed meats like bacon, salami, pepperoni, sausage. Preservatives and food additives (there are a lot). Engine exhaust and exhaust fumes. Pollution in the air we breathe. Being sedentary or overweight. Hot drinks (high temps may cause esophageal cancer). Shift work, especially during odd hours. Frequently flying. Nail salons and fake nail products. EVEN TAP WATER.
Everything is carcinogenic. If you spend your day avoiding everything that is, you’d never leave a small, sheeted room. Does that mean we should all actively do activities that cause health issues? No, that’s not what I’m saying, and that’s a straw man argument.
What I am saying is that it’s my choice. You need a vice or two to survive in this shitty, overstimulating world and this is mine. I find solace in the smoke, like a lot of my brothers and sisters of the leaf. This is where we relax. Where we unwind. Where we find the best of times, even in the worst of times.
Briley has over 16 years in the publishing and content marketing business. He's been writing about cigars for nearly half that in various forms. What makes him a tour de force is he also smokes them.
Source: Anthony Torres / Unsplash
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
